UNGA 80: Nigeria explores new ties as NEPZA woos U.S. investors

Nigeria highlighted its role as a key player in Africa’s trade and investment future at the 2025 USAfrica Business Week (UBW2025), held alongside the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The yearly platform, founded by Gbenga Omotayo, brought together more than 1,000 senior government, business and diaspora leaders to promote US-Africa partnerships. It was gathered that Nigeria sent a high-level delegation of state governors, federal ministers and entrepreneurs to the forum.

This is just as the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) urged American investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s free trade zones.

Participants included Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang; Zamfara State governor Dauda Lawal; Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure; and founder of NOXIE Ltd and chairperson of the wood products and furniture group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Ngozi Oyewole.

They joined the US and African dignitaries such as former US Export-Import Bank President, Reta Jo Lewis, US Congresswoman, Jennifer McCormick, Democratic Republic of Congo Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, New York State Assemblywoman Latrice Walker and officials from the city’s International Affairs Office.

In his remarks, Omotayo said, “UBW2025 reinforced Nigeria’s role as a driver of Africa’s trade and investment future. “From agribusiness and solid minerals to infrastructure and diaspora capital, Nigeria is open for global partnerships.”

Meanwhile, while urging American investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s free trade zones, NEPZA stressed that partnerships in the sector could accelerate job creation, strengthen exports and drive industrial competitiveness.

Managing Director, NEPZA, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, made the call while delivering a lecture on the sidelines of the ongoing UNGA in New York.

His presentation, titled “Free Zones and Industrial Competitiveness: Catalysing Investment through Regulatory Innovation,” was delivered at a side event themed “Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria: A New Era of Economic Opportunities.”

According to him, Nigeria’s free trade zones are designed to serve as “practical business enclaves” that provide industrial upgrading and attract regionally scalable investments.

He encouraged American institutions and investors to undertake site visits to the Lagos Free Zone, Lekki Free Zone and Abuja Industrial Park Free Zone, among others, to see first-hand the infrastructure and anchor tenants already in place. He noted that they are seeking partnerships for projects that could be transformed into factory shells for MSMEs, create jobs and deepen local procurement content.

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